Grand Ayatullah Shirazi remarks on fates, Nights of Destiny during daily scholarly session
The daily scholarly meeting of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Sadiq al-Hosseini al-Shirazi was held on Saturday, the 20th of Sha’ban. In this session, like the previous meetings, the Marja answered the questions of the attendees about various jurisprudence issues.
Regarding determination of the fate of humans in the Night of Qadr, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi said: Instead of saying that the fate of humans is definitively determined in the Night of Qadr, it is better to remove the word “definitively” and replace it with three words.
In explaining those three alternative words, His Eminence said: It is mentioned in the narration that on the nights of Qadr, the 19th, 21st and 23rd of Holy Ramadan, sometimes the fate of a person is determined (Taqdir), and in some cases, a higher more certain determination is made (Qadha), and in some cases it is irreversibly determined (Ebram).
He went on to say: If fate is determined in the sense of Ebram, it cannot be changed, but if it is at Taqdir and Qadha level, it can be changed with charity, prayer and good deeds.
Grand Ayatollah Shirazi then cited some narrations on causes of change in “Qadha and Qadar”, and said: It is mentioned in the narration that: Charity repels calamity even if it has been decided, that is, even calamity that has been decided by the Almighty God, and ruled to happen can be repelled with charity.
His Eminence continued: In another narration, it is said: Prayer reverses and changes the Divine decree even if it has been decided and ruled, that is, with prayer, one can remove from themselves what has been written in their fate as a Divine decree.
In relation to the ways “Qadha and Qadar” can change, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi said: Therefore, in the Nights of Destiny, three stages are considered for a person. First is “Taqdir” which means measurement. For example, it is ruled by Divine Taqdir for a person to live 100 years, but due to cutting ties with blood relatives, their lifespan will be reduced, and sometimes their lifespan may be extended due to beneficence towards their blood relatives. And, this is what is meant by a person’s Taqdir, that is the measurements decided in their fate.
The Supreme Marja added: Sometimes at a higher level, what God Almighty has decided for a person is Qadha, which can be changed with prayers and charity, but if it has been determined as Ebram, which means it is absolutely certain, it cannot be changed. It is mentioned in some hadiths that even the prophets and saints have not been granted the knowledge of Ebram.
